Glowing nanoparticles for brain surgery

doi:10.1038/nindia.2017.147 Published online 30 November 2017

Researchers have synthesised fluorescent
nanoparticles that can selectively bind to lysosome, an intracellular
organelle, making them potentially useful for detecting defective lysosome and
diagnosing lysosome-related diseases1.

Lysosome secretes enzymes and play
vital roles in energy metabolism, cell membrane repair and intracellular
signaling processes. Defects in the structure and functions of lysosome lead to
various diseases, such as cancer, nerve diseases and pigment-related bleeding
disorders. Existing semiconducting quantum dots that are used to track
functions of lysosome are chemically unstable and toxic.

Scientists,
led by Amitava Das and Sumit Kumar Pramanik, from the CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals
Research Institute, Bhavnagar, in Gujarat, produced biocompatible
peptide-coated nanoparticles using sodium yttrium fluoride, ytterbium and gadolinium. They then tested
these nanoparticles’ efficiency in locating malfunctioning lysosome inside
cells.

After incubating the nanoparticles with
specific biological cells, these cells were exposed to laser light.
Sophisticated imaging techniques showed that the nanoparticles entered the
cells and emitted green light.

The nanoparticles were found attached only
to lysosome, showing their specific affinity for this organelle.

“Since lysosomes are present in all
types of cells, lysosome-tracking nanoparticles can be used anywhere in
the body for diagnosis and fluorescence-guided surgery even for brain,” says
Pramanik.